Cameroon-flagged ship hijacked off Somalia

Somali pirates have hijacked the Cameroon-flagged general cargo ship Lutuf off the coast of Somalia, the latest incident in a renewed wave of piracy across the western Indian Ocean.

Eight armed men boarded and seized control of the small 1995-built vessel yesterday. The condition of the crew remains unconfirmed.

The attack adds to mounting concern that Somali piracy, which had been largely suppressed for much of the past decade, is again becoming a persistent threat to merchant shipping operating around the Horn of Africa.

Four vessels and 44 seafarers are currently being held by Somali pirates.

The resurgence has coincided with wider security instability across the region, including Houthi attacks on shipping in and around the Red Sea. T

Pirate groups have increasingly demonstrated an ability to operate far from the Somali coastline, frequently using captured fishing vessels and dhows as motherships from which smaller attack craft can be launched.